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Immerse yourself in the words and music of rock critic Lester Bangs

Want to enter the world of Gonzo rock critic Lester Bangs without guzzling Romilar cough syrup, his substance of choice? The best way is through the music. And the writing. Both take center stage in Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen’s How to be a Rock Critic, which is based on the thousands of pages of writing Bangs left behind in 1982, when...

The Beautiful, Strange, Brilliant, Sloppy Genius of Lester Bangs

Mad respect. This is the only phrase that comes to mind when I think about the sloppy genius Lester Bangs. Like all of us, I’m sure he didn’t plan to end up that way. But years of disappointment, spontaneous joy, alcoholism and an industry that constantly dragged him back for a fix all contributed to the signature lack of panache (...

Matilda The Musical Lyrics

Based on the beloved novel by Roald Dahl, Matilda The Musical continues to thrill sold-out audiences of all ages on Broadway and in London’s West End and is now on stage at the Ahmanson Theatre. The Wall Street Journal says, “The makers of Matilda have done the impossible – triumphantly! It is smart, sweet, zany and stupendou...

Literacy Day at the California African American Museum: August Wilson's words come to life

When I arrived at Literacy Day at the California African American Museum (CAAM) on Saturday, May 23, I was greeted by Elise Woodson, the museum’s program manager and film curator, who showed me to an intimate room where a number of other Los Angeles August Wilson Monologue Competition Regional and National Finalists and I would be perfor...

Exploring Social and Artistic Growth with the Students of the August Wilson In-School Residency

It has been an absolute pleasure observing and serving local high school students as they participated in Center Theatre Group’s fourth season of the August Wilson In-School Residency program. The August Wilson In-School Residency program, one of CTG’s premiere arts education programs, sends professional teaching artists to four Ti...

The New Yorker explores the "secular kind of fervor" of 'Matilda The Musical' composer Tim Minchin

When the Royal Shakespeare Company decided to make a musical version of Roald Dahl's beloved book Matilda, they chose Matthew Warchus to direct. When Warchus went looking for a songwriter for Matilda The Musical, he chose Australian comedian Tim Minchin, a performer who "plays a heightened version of himself: a smart-ass who knows he's...